1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus equipped with pattern generating means.
2. Related Background Art
Most of the conventional printing apparatus capable of generating plural different patterns, other than those utilizing mechanical typefonts, perform printing operation by converting character code data, supplied from a host computer, into dot patterns of corresponding output characters stored in advance.
Such principle is employed for example in thermal printers wire dot printers, laser beam printers etc.
In such printers the characters of different styles, such as Italic or bold style, can be printed by utilizing character pattern generators for respectively different type fonts, and such character generators are often incorporated in printers designed for a limited number of characters, for example alpha-numeric printers.
More recently, a read-only memory (ROM) or a random access memory (RAM) constituting such character pattern generator is formed as a cartridge, and such cartridge is detachably mounted on a socket provided on the printing apparatus.
Such structure not only allows the user to arbitrarily select the type style, thus widening the field of application of such apparatus, but also the manufacturer need not endlessly expand the character pattern generator incorporated in the printing apparatus.
However, in a case in which the apparatus is used by plural users or in case the recording of a page contains various type styles, it has been necessary to exchange the cartridges frequently, since a cartridge can only store a limited number of type styles.
Also the recording with a designated type style cannot be obtained if the exchange of the cartridge is neglected.
Such drawbacks can be prevented by mounting plural cartridges at the same time, but such structure will lead to a higher manufacturing cost.